Engineering Manager Interviews

The Key Differentiator

Most managers focus on what happened. Great managers focus on how they created change.

Example: Helping an Engineer Grow

Mediocre Answer: "I helped promote one of my engineers. They were doing great work, I wrote a strong review, and they got promoted."

Great Answer: "One of my engineers wanted to get promoted but was struggling with scope. I had deep conversations with them to identify their gaps. I set up stretch assignments, created a safe space where they could fail and learn, and provided specific feedback. The transformation was clear - they went from individual contributor focus to organizational impact. Here's what I did differently..."

The Difference: The great answer shows how you contributed to the growth. Would they have been promoted without you? If yes, you need a better story.

What They're Looking For

• Deep conversations to identify gaps
• Setting up stretch assignments
• Creating safe spaces to fail
• Specific, actionable feedback
• Clear transformation (before/after)

Red Flags

• ❌ Story about promoting someone who was already ready
• ❌ Just "moving papers" - writing reviews without deeper contribution
• ❌ Can't articulate specific ways you helped

Beyond Just Resolving

Don't just resolve the conflict. Show how you created change:

• ✅ Coaching the people involved so they can resolve it themselves next time
• ✅ Fixing broken relationships between teams (not just one conflict)
• ✅ Creating systemic solutions to prevent future conflicts

Level-Appropriate Examples

• New Manager: Conflict between two engineers, coached them
• Experienced Manager: Systemic conflict between your team and another, improved collaboration culture
• Senior Manager: Organizational-level conflicts, created new processes/systems

What They're Looking For

• Did you set them up for success initially?
• Clear, specific feedback with improvement plans
• Giving them chances to improve
• Making tough decisions when needed
• Handling it with empathy and respect

Red Flags

• ❌ Story about a new hire who didn't perform (who's the low performer - them or you?)
• ❌ Immediate termination without process
• ❌ Blaming the person entirely
• ❌ No reflection on what you could have done differently

Balance Strategy and Tactics

Managers need to operate at multiple levels. Use a "table of contents" approach:

1. Give high-level overview (strategic)
2. Present 3-5 key areas/considerations
3. Ask interviewer: "Where would you like me to dive deeper?"

Why This Works

• Shows you can think strategically AND tactically
• Gives you control of the interview
• Plants seeds about all your capabilities
• Helps interviewer help you (they guide depth)

Example: "Tell me about your approach to 1-on-1s."

This isn't "tell me about a time" - it's asking for your approach.

How to Answer

1. Share your framework/model (show you've thought deeply)
2. Quickly tie to specific examples (prove you can apply it)
3. Show handling tough situations (especially the 10% when things go wrong)

Key: Don't just talk theory. Show you've applied it, especially when it was hard.

Common Challenge

You transitioned from IC to manager recently. You don't have deep management experience yet.

What to Do

• ✅ Focus on your best actual experiences (quality over quantity)
• ✅ Show you understand what management actually involves
• ✅ Be authentic - don't pretend to be a 5-year manager
• ✅ Consider TLM (Tech Lead Manager) roles as stepping stones

What to Avoid

• ❌ Getting ahead of your skis (pretending to be senior)
• ❌ Disqualifying yourself from appropriate-level roles

Common Challenge

You've been at one company for 9+ years. Interviewers wonder: Have you grown? Can you adapt?

What to Address

The elephant in the room: No visible promotions, but you HAVE grown. Show how:

• Switching teams/domains (platform → AI, backend → product)
• Expanding scope over time
• Taking on new challenges
• Adapting to company changes

Red Flags to Avoid

• ❌ Saying "at Microsoft we do X" (shows you only know one way)
• ❌ No growth narrative
• ❌ Not showing adaptability

What to Show Instead

• ✅ "I've been at Microsoft 9 years, but I'm always looking to grow. Here's how..."
• ✅ Show you bring ideas, not just follow process
• ✅ Demonstrate you can adapt to different cultures

Do Managers Need Technical Interviews?

Yes, in 2025. Companies can afford higher hiring bars. Many expect managers to stay technical.

What to Prepare For

• Coding: Often "rusty coder" standard, but you still need to pass
• System Design: Lower bar than ICs, but you need to show you understand

Should You Constrain Your Job Search?

Generally No. Unless you're truly exceptional and specifically targeting management-only roles, refresh your technical skills.

Time Management

Don't spend 90% of prep on coding (common mistake). Balance:

• Behavioral prep: Most important
• System design: Important for senior roles
• Coding: Time-box this (rusty is okay, but not zero)

Common Red Flags

• ❌ Not thinking about change: Stories about maintaining status quo
• ❌ Low performer = new hire: Makes interviewer question your hiring/setup
• ❌ Company-specific process: "At Microsoft we do X" (no adaptability shown)
• ❌ No growth narrative: Can't show how you've developed over time
• ❌ Fluffy without specifics: "I used empathy" without showing what you did

How to Avoid These

• ✅ Prepare 10-15 stories covering all common scenarios
• ✅ Create a hashmap: scenario → best story
• ✅ Practice connecting stories to company values
• ✅ Be specific - show, don't tell
• ✅ Focus on the change/delta you created

General Recommendation

Don't do both at once. Making two major changes (company + role) is setting yourself up for difficulty.

Better Approach

1. Make the transition internally (IC → Manager or Manager → IC)
2. Get 1+ year of experience in new role
3. Then look for opportunities at new companies

Exception: If you have no other options, be prepared for a much tougher interview process.

Story Categories to Prepare

• ✅ Helping engineer grow/promote
• ✅ Managing low performer
• ✅ Conflict resolution (with change element)
• ✅ Hiring decisions
• ✅ Prioritization and trade-offs
• ✅ Your approach to 1-on-1s
• ✅ Giving difficult feedback
• ✅ Team motivation after setbacks
• ✅ Cross-functional collaboration
• ✅ Technical leadership

For Each Story, Ask Yourself

• What change did I create?
• What was the before/after?
• What were my specific actions?
• Would this have happened without me?